The Ellington Residential Team

Dr. Simon is a private investor and financial consultant to businesses. Dr. Simon has served as a member of our Board since May 2013, and is Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Dr. Simon has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of EFC since 2007 and was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of EFC in January 2021. From March 2003 through February 2006, when it was acquired by Wachovia Corp., Dr. Simon was a Director of WFS Financial, Inc., a publicly-traded financial services company specializing in automobile finance. From 1995 through 2002, Dr. Simon was a director of SoftNet Systems, Inc. ("SoftNet"), during 2001, he served as Acting Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer for SoftNet, Inc. From 2002 through August 2016 he was a director of its successor company, American Independence Corp. ("AIC"), a holding company engaged principally in the health insurance and reinsurance business. AIC was acquired by Independence Holdings Company ("IHC"), a holding company principally engaged in the disability, health insurance and pet insurance business, in August 2016, and he served as a director of IHC from August 2016 to February 2022, and as a member of the Audit Committee from November 2017 to February 2022. Dr. Simon earned a B.A. from Harvard University, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business.